Evgeniya Shakhovskaya

Eugenie Mikhailovna Shakhovskaya (St. Petersburg, 1889 – Kiev, 1920) (Евгения Михайловна Шаховская, Yevgeniya Mikhaylovna Shakhovskaya) was a Russian pioneering aviator. She was the first woman to become a military pilot when she flew reconnaissance missions for the Tsar in 1914.[1][2]

Evgeniya Shakhovskaya
Shakhovskaya and Abramovich Vsevolod Mikhaylovich in 1913
Born1889 
Saint Petersburg 
Died1920  (aged 30–31)
Kyiv (Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic) 

Life

Princess Eugenie Mikhailovna started taking flying lessons in 1911 and was awarded her flying license in 1912. However, she gave up flying in 1913 after her instructor died mid-flight.[3] She was convinced to start flying again and flew reconnaissance missions in World War 1. Eugenie was accused of being a spy, arrested, and sentenced to death. However, she was shown mercy by the Tsar, her cousin, and sentenced to life in prison. In 1917, during the Russian Revolution, she was freed from prison.[4] She became the chief executioner for the Cheka. In this time, she also became addicted to drugs. In a narcotic state, she shot one of her assistants and was herself shot, and died.[5]

References
  1. "Women Combat Pilots of WW1". Monash University. Retrieved 2010-10-18. Princess Eugenie M. Shakhovskaya was Russia's first woman military pilot. Served with the 1st Field Air Squadron. Unknown if she actually flew any combat missions, and she was ultimately charged with treason and attempting to flee to enemy lines. Sentenced to death by firing squad, sentence commuted to life imprisonment by the Tsar, freed during the Revolution, became chief executioner for Gen. Tchecka and drug addict, shot one of her assistants in a narcotic delerium and was herself shot.
  2. "300 Women who changed the world". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2010-10-18. In Russia, Princess Eugenie Shakhovskaya is the first female military pilot. She flies reconnaissance missions.
  3. "Princess Eugenie Mikhailovna Shakhovskaya". Girl Museum. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  4. Miron, Dolnikov. "SHAHOVSKAJA EUGENIJA MICHAILOVNA". Early Aviators. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  5. "Women Combat Pilots of WW1". Retrieved 3 March 2020.
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